OCA Applauds the Defeat of Ryan Immigration Bill

Washington, DC – OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates released the following statement in response the House vote this afternoon. Speaker Ryan’s Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018 failed to pass by a 121-301 vote.

OCA applauds the defeat of Speaker Ryan’s immigration bill. The bill was similar to Representative Goodlatte’s bill with cuts to the family reunification process, elimination of diversity visas, and increased difficultly for applicants seeking refuge to be granted asylum. There are 1.6 million Asian applicants in the family visa backlog and over 120,000 Asian American DREAMers with no pathway to citizenship. Though we applaud the failure of Speaker Ryan’s bill, we recognize its introduction as a distraction from other bipartisan immigration efforts in the House. We call on Congress to continue working together to provide a solution for DREAMers while keeping families together, both at the border and through the family reunification processes.

OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national organization of community advocates dedicated to the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific American Islanders (AAPI’s.)